Computer simulation in physics and engineering

Content: Preface
 1 Introduction to computer simulation
 1.1 Physics and computational physics
 1.2 Choice of programming language
 1.3 Outfitting your PC for scientific computing
 1.4 History of computing in a nutshell
 1.5 Number representation: bits and bytes in computer memory
 1.5.1 Addition and subtraction of dual integer numbers
 1.5.2 Basic data types
 1.6 The role of algorithms in scientific computing
 1.6.1 Efficient and inefficient calculations
 1.6.2 Asymptotic analysis of algorithms
 1.6.3 Merge sort and divide-and-conquer
 1.7 Theory, modeling and computer simulation. 1.7.1 What is a theory?1.7.2 What is a model?
 1.7.3 Model systems: particles or fields?
 1.7.4 The linear chain as a model system
 1.7.5 From modeling to computer simulation
 1.8 Exercises
 1.8.1 Addition of bit patterns of 1 byte duals
 1.8.2 Subtracting dual numbers using two's complement
 1.8.3 Comparison of running times
 1.8.4 Asymptotic notation
 1.9 Chapter literature
 2 Scientific Computing in C
 2.1 Introduction
 2.1.1 Basics of a UNIX/Linux programming environment
 2.2 First steps in C
 2.2.1 Variables in C
 2.2.2 Global variables
 2.2.3 Operators in C
 2.2.4 Control structures. 2.2.5 Scientific "Hello world!"2.2.6 Streams --
input/output functionality
 2.2.7 The preprocessor and symbolic constants
 2.2.8 The function scanf()
 2.3 Programming examples of rounding errors and loss of precision
 2.3.1 Algorithms for calculating e-x
 2.3.2 Algorithm for summing 1/n
 2.4 Details on C-Arrays
 2.4.1 Direct initialization of certain array elements (C99)
 2.4.2 Arrays with variable length (C99)
 2.4.3 Arrays as function parameters
 2.4.4 Pointers
 2.4.5 Pointers as function parameters
 2.4.6 Pointers to functions as function parameters
 2.4.7 Strings. 2.5 Structures and their representation in computer memory2.5.1 Blending structs and arrays
 2.6 Numerical differentiation and integration
 2.6.1 Numerical differentiation
 2.6.2 Case study: the second derivative of ex
 2.6.3 Numerical integration
 2.7 Remarks on programming and software engineering
 2.7.1 Good software development practices
 2.7.2 Reduction of complexity
 2.7.3 Designing a program
 2.7.4 Readability of a program
 2.7.5 Focus your attention by using conventions
 2.8 Ways to improve your programs
 2.9 Exercises
 2.9.1 Questions
 2.9.2 Errors in programs. 2.9.3 printf()-statement2.9.4 Assignments
 2.9.5 Loops
 2.9.6 Recurrence
 2.9.7 Macros
 2.9.8 Strings
 2.9.9 Structs
 2.10 Projects
 2.10.1 Decimal and binary representation
 2.10.2 Nearest machine number
 2.10.3 Calculating e -x
 2.10.4 Loss of precision
 2.10.5 Summing series
 2.10.6 Recurrence in orthogonal functions
 2.10.7 The Towers of Hanoi
 2.10.8 Spherical harmonics and Legendre polynomials
 2.10.9 Memory diagram of a battle
 2.10.10 Computing derivatives numerically
 2.11 Chapter literature
 3 Fundamentals of statistical physics
 3.1 Introduction and basic ideas.